Electric machine for typing in the braille and abreu systems



NV 23# 1948. J. DELA FUENTE TEJEDo 2,454,637 l 1 EIDECTRIC MACHINE FOR TYPING IN THE Biz-ILLE rAND ABREU SYSTEMS .V2 Sheets-Sheet `l.

.Filed Feb. 19, 1.945

I hwento J UAN` DE I\..A FUENTE TEJEDO,

Gnomeg Filed Feb. 19, 1945 N0V- 23, 1948 J. DE LA FUENTE Tr-:JEDo 2,454,637

ELECTRIC MACHINE FOR TYPING IN THE 4 BRAILLE AND ABREU SYSTEMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 23, 1948 ELECTRIC MACHINE FOR TYPING IN THE BRAILLE AND ABREU SYSTEMS Juan delaFuente Tejeda;L Madrid, Spain Application February 19, 1945, Serial No. 578,653 Int Spain January15, 1944 3 Claims. (Cl. 197--6i1) Thisinvention'relates to typewriting machines 1 and more particularly to electrically operated typewriting machines for embossing paper according to the Braille and Abreu code systems i devised foruse by the blind.

Machines of this* type have, been known comniercially for many years, asA instanced by the Llorens, Braille, Abreu and other makes.

Such machines generally included a group of embossing rods operated singly or in various combinations by depressible keys.

The Braille system employs a six-point co-de, that is, a group of. six paper-indenting rods is arranged beneath` the paper, and in line with an anvil overhanging the ends of the indenting rods.

The paper advances between the free ends of the indenting rods and the anvil.

Depression of theappropriatekeys projects the free ends of the indenting rods against. the paper, forcing the latter against the anvil or platen. The anvil may be provided with a series of recesses in register with. thefree ends of the respective indenting rods, and theimpact of. the selected rods against the paper forces Vthe ,latter against the anvil, the free ends of. the rods pressing the paper into the corresponding recessesin the anvil` to indent the paper with a code representation of a particular letter, numeral or symbol.

In those typewriting machines employing a sixpoint code the keyboard may have `but six keys, eachof which is individual to its respective indenting rod, in which event, combinations of keys must be depressed in the majority of instances, where the code representation of a letter, numeral or symbol comprises more than one indentation.

Other machines` are provided with a full keyboard, that is, with individual keys for the several letters, numerals and symbols. In these machines, means are provided to enable certain of the keys, upon depression, to operate twoor more of the indenting. rods, it being obvious that with the employment of a six-point code, certain of the keys must actuate at least five indenting rods, and one key may have to oper-ate all six indenting rods, depending upon the .number of different code representations to be formed.

This requires the operator. to exercise more pressure on some of the keys than on those which are required to operatebut a single indenting rod only. This induces uneven lingering` of the keys and` leads to mistakes, particularly disadvantageous in this typeofmachine wherein the erasure of improper representations is difficult, if not impossible, and entails more. care on the part of i the operator.

To remedy this unevenness of touch, these machines have heretofore been provided with electrically operated power devices, as electro-magnets of diiierent types individual totheir respective indenting rods, for projecting the rods, the

keys upon depression` merely serving to closeone or more circuits arranged in proper combinations with the several electrically operated power devices.

'Ihese attempts have not avoided the unevenness oi touch, however, since thecircuit combinations are closed-by rocking single spring-restored levers in some instances, by the pressure exerted upon the selected key, whereas, in the4 majority ofinstances, `theselected key must rock two, three, four, ve and possibly six spring-restored levers to form the desired code representations;

Therefore, one object of this invention is to provide, in a typewriting machine having'electrically operated means to indent paper in accordance with a legible code, a keyboard, the keys of which may bedepressed bye-an even' or equal pressure, to select any one or more oi the individually operable indenting means for operation in forming the code representations corresponding with the letters of the alphabet, numerals and punctuation marks.

In attaining this object, the` structures of the prior art have been greatly simplied by elimihating the systems `of levers heretofore selectively operated singly or in various groups by themanually depressed keys,V and instead, the letter, numeral `and symbol keys of thekeyboard operate traveling contacts which serve to closethe various combinations of circuits refpiiredin` thef selection ior operation ofthe proper combinations of indenting rods to form code representations corresponding with the letters, numerals and symbols appurtenant to the particular keys depressed.

In designing. machines for useby the blind in typing Braille code, it` is highly desirable that tactile-sensible means be provided for usein `the event `that it becomes necessary for the operator to remove a partially-coded sheet from the typewriting machine and then to replace the sheet in the machine in such `exact adjustment that the writing may be re-commencecl at the point where it. ceased prior to the removalA of the sheet.

Another object of this inventio-nis the provision of. novel and simplified means readily operable to accomplish this result.

.A further very desirable feature'ior incorporatio-niin..typewritingmachines for useiby the-blind is the provision of means, including a tactile sensible mark, or marks, which will enable the operator, when preparing to write on the back of a sheet already indented on its face, to correctly introduce and position the sheet in the machine in such manner that the indented code lines to be impressed on the back or rear face of the sheet shall be staggered, offset or interspersed relatively to the indented lines previously formed on the face of the sheet.

Therefore, still another object of this invention is the provision of novel and extremely simple marking means used in combination with the lastmentioned means which enables the correct reinsertion of a partially written sheet, the novel marking means enabling the operator through his sense of touch to position the sheet, already indented on its face, in such manner that the lines of indentations to be impressed on the back of the sheet shall be interprinted or interspersed relatively to the lines of indentations on the face of the sheet.

Other objects and advantages will be more fully explained in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Because the above improvements are applicable to Braille code typewriting or indenting machines old and well known in the art, it has seemed unnecessary to set forth in detail any but the main features of the old machines with which the novel mechanisms have been combined, to enable a proper understanding of the invention and its location with respect to such old and well-known features.

Therefore,

Fig. l is a diagrammatic and conventionalized view in side elevation of the right side of any of the well known forms of electrically operated Braille writing machines, equipped with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detail view showing one of the writing keys of a full keyboard writing machine with a conventional disclosure of the circuits for energizing two electro-magnets controlled by the particular key;

Fig. 3 is a detail top plan view of the pressure roll mechanisms, and

Fig. 4 is a detail view in side elevation of the pressure roll mechanism.

Since the invention is intended for application to any of the well known embossing machines equipped with electrically operated embossing mechanism, for use by the blind, the several novel features have been shown as applied to a conventional diagrammatic view, and it is to be understood that such View may be considered as a disclosure of any of said machines, except for such elements as constitute the present invention.

Therefore, referring to Fig. 1, the machine includes a main frame I' provided with rails Ia to support a travelling `carriage 2 for letter spacing travel and return.

A full capacity keyboard is provided comprising character keys 'I representing any one or more notational systems, as the English alphabet, the ten digits, and various p-unctuation marks, or the like.

A space bar 'lil which, with the keys 1, controls any well known form of letter spacing mechanism, not shown, in use on machines of the kind mentioned, may be conveniently positioned at the extreme front end of the main frame and in a lower plane than the character keys, as is customary.

Because of the area required to represent the notational characters inrtactile-sensed Braille or other code to facilitate such tactile sensing by the blind, machines for writing Braille and similar codes are preferably provided with letterspace escapements arranged to space the code characters a greater distance apart than are lesi- `ble typewritten characters.

For these reasons, also, the line spacing mechanisms of Braille and similar code-writing machines provide wider spacing between the lines.

The electrically-operated embossing mechanism shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig, 2 is merely a diagrammatic showing of the electro-responsive devices Il), the actuating levers II, II, for the group of individually operable embossing rods Ila, Ila guided fof vertical sliding movement in a turret I4 proJecting upwardly from a table I3 mounted in the main frame of the machine near its rear end.

Embossing machines for writing Braille characters employ a six-unit code, the impressions or indentations representing the Braille characters being formed by any, and in one instance all, of six embossing rods IIa (Figs. 1 and 2) arranged in two straight parallel lines of three indentations each, which lines may be vertical or horizontal in relation to the writing line.

The form illustrated in the accompanying drawings shows the horizontal parallel arrangement of the embossing rods, and hence the right side view of the machine. Fig. 1 shows the two spaced embossing rods at the right hand end of the double line of three rods each.

Likewise, Fig. 1 shows only the two right han-d actuating levers II for said two right hand embossing rods IIa; and the two right hand electroresponsive devices, as the electro-magnets I0, it being understood that there are two additional pairs each of electromagnets, actuating levers and embossing rods behind, that is, to the left of those indicated in Fig. 1.

Obviously, these elements could be arranged according to the more common form wherein the embossing rods lie in two parallel rows of three units each to form code characters vertically in relation to the writing line.

Returning to the description of the machine as shown, the electro-magnets I, I0 are suitably supported in the main frame I beneath a table I3.

The aligned pairs of oppositely extending actuating levers II, II, are pivotally supported intermediate their ends at IIb, IIb, by individual hangers IIc, IIc, depending in pairs from the under side of the table I3.

Armatures I'0a, Ill-a, pivotally depend from the respective remote ends of the pairs of levers to overhang the cores of the electro-magnets, the proximate ends of the respective pairs of actuating levers being enlarged or lobed at Ild, IId, to form peens which strike against the soles of offset or splayed feet IIe, IIe, fast on the lower ends of the vertical embossing rods IIa.

The pairs of feet are downwardly and outwardly inclined from their points of attachment to the lower ends of their individual embossing rods I Ia, to afford room between the bottom of the table I 3 and the upper surfaces of the feet for the compressed springs 8 which by pressing against the feet, yieldingly retain the embossing rods IIa in their lowered positions.

The soles of the feet, in turn, press against the lobed ends IId of their actuating levers II to rock the armatures Illa away from the cores of their corresponding electro-magnets. Guide pins 'II project upwardly from the free ends or toes raam-,ese

`:o'f the ssplayed feet :lil e into :holes iformed 5 in the The turretzpro'jects upwardly-into the space between the side iframes of `'Ithe -.paper carriage y2,

the upp'er :endfof the turret vtermir'iatingat a `iplane` substantially yhorizontal with lth'e 4.planes of the highest points k'of a setfof llowerpaper-"feed .-rolls I' r(Figs. LiBfand-fi) spaced :along-a paper- :feed froll shaft 2115 lexten-ding i'between l and `'jour-- :naledin'the end framesof the papercarriageZ.

lil-Iand rolls -or `twirlers 35 4mounted-on -the 'pro- `jecting-'opposite ends of the lpaper -ffeed i roll shaft rl'enable the operator-to rotate 'the shaft and its :rollslliftofadvance the paper in line spacing-directlon fand to reversel-y .'feed v4'the -record sheet, 'as idesired. i

iPeripherally knurled pressure feed roll-s il journaled on the `rear ends of .rearwardly projecting 'Slead :springs lilla press the `work sheet :againstthe respective Thnurled paper feed `rolls The Iforwardendswoft'he leaf springs I-la Aare carried by -a-fcross-rod 82 yextending `between i the `sideframes-o'f the paper carriage.

Conveniently, thelpaper feedrolls y|56 -1ie adja- :cen't to, and directly iin front'offtheupperendof fthe embossing -redturret 1M, asshown in Fig 1. `An anvil 4adependsfrom :a -rearwardly extending i curved horn 34 which `suspends 1the'anvil -directly over lthe -upper end 'of fthe turret H land'spac'ed slightly apart "therefrom/toaifordlpassage -for the record sheet. Customarily the Alower freeendof ltheanvilfis.provided-with a series of recessesv each of which 'is kin lline with its corresponding uemibossingrod lila. The 'forwardendof the curved tranvil supporting horn 4` is -rmly secured zto [the `main iframe of 'the machine 'just `in `rear lof fthe keyboar'd, as is 'custon'iary -Af hollow cylindrical paper `holder Vor :paper holding scroll, indicated by dotted "lines ^83 in iFig. `=1, is mounted in the depending front side of fthe travelling-carriage A2. l This Vpaper holder may fbe ofthe fform used Ain lthe Hammond typewrit "ingmach'ine, or may be like that -shown in U. S.

patent toKurowski-et al., l1,767,247, June 24,1930, 5 'l fto vwhich reference-'is also madefor ari-approxi- 4mation ofthe paper feed'roll mechanism above ldescribed.

The work or record sheet y84 maybe rolled into :alocsecoil and inserted endwise from one end of 'fthe'zpaper carriage :into thepaper holder, from Which'theleadingedge of 'the'sheet is led through fthe paper throated along thev paper apron 85 be- `stween the'paperlfeedrolls i6 land pressure feed :rolls llgthence between the recessed lower face of theianvilaand the upper endl of the emboss- .ing `rodturret f4 tothe sheet aligningand adjusting means, and thence `out of `.the rear of the :paper carriage. y

To enable inthe `worksheet to pass freely between the paper and pressure rolls itl, Il, when fin-serting:andiadjusting the sheet,` aj pressure roll cast-off is provided, which, `as shown, comprises .la :pressure roll cast-off shaft 86 extending bettweerrandijournaledfin the fendsof the'papencar- 'riagei 2, on "Lwhi'ch shaftnare fxed :a iplurality of cam membershil,'onefcamlmemberibeneathfand'in line .with its :appropriate leaf :spring .arm `Ila carrying a pressure :feed iroll 5H.

`In their :normal rest positions, these .cast-01T `.orpressureiroll release -cams 8! lie `out of 'eiective :relation with l.their spring leaf uarms, :but `uponmanipulating ya pressure l:roll .cast-.off yhandle 88 -fast on a projecting end of the releasefshaft gthelrelease camsal arefforcedagainst the leaf spring arms Iflaifromben'eath to'r'ock thefarms `mmvardlyfandcdisenga'ge all pressure rolls rl 'I 'from :theco-a'cting ipap'er ffeedfr'olls "|16 to enable Ythe record sheet to fpass freely therebetween.

:It rwill .be iunderstood rthat the paperapron 85 :isciaperturedior'cutawayat `the proper points to `permit fthe l'operation :of :the pressure roll icastrolls lpas `shown lin dotted `lines in Fig. l, 'and 'IIiheLforegoing1is, ina general sense, foldin the `art, .the mechanisms Aabove i `described :forming a ..partfofl'theiinvention'so .far as they co-act therewith :inthe accomplishment :of the novel results ofthe inventioninow'ftobe set "forth,

Referring to lig. 2, a conventional.circuit-dia- -gram islshownfone pole of :acsource of electrical energy, .as `the battery .13, i being .connected to the ltwoelectro-magnets t0 .there illustrated, similar conductors :leading to theremaining four ofthe entire series of six electro-magnets, as-indi-cated 'bythe itrailing ends `of four conductors.

The inotation .representing keys l'l open Aand lclosexthe .circuits according to `a predetermined -co'de,fthe 'codebeing well rknown in the `art, and fhence, not illustrated.

'The application of this code to the notation or character keys l and the controls exercisedby -`the`keys'on thecircuits will'be explained in 'connection with-the'keymechanism embodying one featurefof `this invention.

`r'tshereto'fore stated, one object ofthis inven- -tion `is'theprovision of a light and'even key touch.

As one means to-eiect vthisresult, eachkey 'l `comprises a key top la, mounted on the upper end of a stemlb, tothe'lower end of which stem is "fixed a non-cylindrical plunger "lc of suitable linsulating material` The plunger 'lc is contained in a guide which, as shown, consists .of anon-cylindrical `tubular housing@ vtoprevent rotationof thekey relatively lto its housing, .it being 'understood `that there is aseparate housing foreach key,v

.The .,upperend-of each housingB isclosed eX- ceptfor an aperture -throughwhich theikey stem projectato form astop against which the upper .end `of the plunger strikes to arrest 'the travel of A.the key at yits normal-elevated position. The Alowerendiof theiplungeris contacted-by onesend ofacoiled `key-restoring springs, the opposite end of whichrests on the bottom of the housing.

One -w'all'of `-the Ihousing isfcut away or slotted Ilongitudinallmasat "91) (Fig. 2), and flanged arms .9|, :9| projecting .from *the slotted side of the housing, `engage and `hold an finsulated, contact- `:pointsupporting blockr closely against the slotytedffside of :the housing.

Each fof "these .insulated supporting blocks `is provided :with from .one to six .contact ipoints192 `secured :in :any convenient manner in .a vertical row registeringwithlthe slotoriopeningin the :housing 1S. Eig. f2 illustrates that key Jhousing fhavingnve `contact points.

mbe-*contact '.point :or xpoints 92 Aare insulated `7 from each other and each contact point is in circuit with its individual electro-magnet lil.

A lead connects the key housing 9 with the other pole of the electrical source B, it being obvious that the several housings can be electrically connected so that a single lead only is required. The housings are insulated from the main frame of the machine in any convenient manner, not shown.

The key plunger le, of insulating material, is provided with a diametrical bore 93 extending from that side of the non-cylindrical plunger which lies in contact with the slotted wall of the housing 9 to the opposite side of the plunger.

Two contacts 94, S5, shown as globular in shape, are carried in this bore or aperture, between which contacts is placed a spring 96 to retain the contacts at the respective outer ends of the aperture. One of said contacts 94 engages the adjacent inner face of the housing, the other contact 95 being protruded from the aperture a sufficient distance by the spring 9G to extend through the slotted opening 90 in the housing and wipe over the insulated contact point or points 92 mounted in the insulating supporting block 8 upon depression of the key.

It will be appreciated that the contacts 94, 95 and spring 6 carried by the key constitute a contact member travelling with the key to close and open a circuit or circuits individual to the respective electro-magnets l0.

It will be noted also that in those instances where the key, upon depression, closes more than one circuit, the circuits are closed successivly and not simultaneously, thereby greatly reducing the strain on the anvil caused by the impact of the upper ends of the embossing rods Ha thereagainst. v

The operation of the embossing mechanism under control of the character keys 'l may be understood from the foregoing description.

It will be understood that the several character keys l and their housings are exactly similar, the onlydiference being in the number of stationary contact points 52 arranged for engagement by the respective keys, and hence the number of particular electro-magnets `which are energized and the number and p-attern of the code characters impressed in the work sheet by the embossing rods l la.

The provision of six individually operable embossing rods and their actuating electro-magnets having individual circuit connections permits of some forty-two permutations, thus enabling a like number of different code symbols to be embossed to represent the letters of the alphabet, the ten numeral digits and some of the punctuation marks. Forexample, depression of the-character key l representing a might yresult in the formation of a small boss on the writing line of the sheet; depression of the character key representing b might result in the formation of two bosses in the sheet vertically arranged one directly above the other. Obviously, this would mean that the insulated supporting block 8 associated with the character key a carries a single contact point S2 only, whereas the supporting block associated with the character key b carries two contact points in circuit with two separate electro-magnets controlling the actuation of two embossing rods, one behind the other, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, and so on.

Pressure of the operators finger on a key top 1a, depresses the corresponding plunger 1c in the housing 9 and compresses the key-restoring spring 39. The plunger, during its descent in the housing, wipes its-traveling contact 94, 95, 96 over the contact point or points 92 on the insulated supporting block 8 to close successively (assuming two or more contact points are engaged) the individual circuits leading to the appropriate electro-magnets I9 to effect successive energization thereof.

Ther electro-magnets thus energized attract their armatures lila, causing the actuating levers l l, l l, todrive the associated embossing rods lla, l la upwardly against the record sheet and anvil, to form a code character corresponding to the notational character of the depressed key.

Assuming the selected key to be one co-acting with a plurality of vertically arranged contact points 92, the escape of the traveling contact 94, 95, 9B past the first contact point engaged, opens the circuit through the particular electro-magnet appurtenant to such contact point, whereupon the corresponding embossing rod restoring spring becomes effective to lower its embossing rod Ha to normal idle position and in so doing, rock the actuating lever l l back to its normal position to disengage the corresponding armature lila, from the core of its electro-magnet, such action occurring as the travelling contact escapes past all the stationary contact points.

Removal of pressure on the depressed key 1 enables the key restoring spring 89 to return the key and its travelling contact past all the contact points 92 until the travelling contact comes to rest above the uppermost contact point.

Obviously, the identical embossing rods Ha are thus again operated, though in reverse order, during the return of the depressed key, but since the letter-spacing mechanism (not shown) while tripped, is not permitted to operate until the travelling contact escapes past the uppermost stationary contact point, the only result is to provide a more kdeeply incised impression of the code character in the work sheet.

Reference has been made to the provision of means enabling the operator to correctly position and align the work sheet, not only preliminary to commencing to Write thereon, but also when it isdesired to reinsert a partially written sheet into the machine and start writing where-the previously written matter stopped, and also when it is desired to write on both sides of a sheet.

In the last-named event, care must be taken to emboss the lines written on the backy of the sheet at such places as will not confuse the tactile sensing of the written matter on both sides of the sheet, bearing in mind that the indentations on one side of the Work or record sheet result in projections on the opposite side, and it is the projections arranged in code representations that are to be sensed.

Consideration will first be given to the means' provided for correctly positioning the work sheet in the machine preliminary to writing thereon, and for arranging for the re-insertion of the sheet in case of its removal from the machine prior to completing the .writing thereof, which constitute another feature of this invention.

After the coiled work sheet is inserted endwise into the hollow cylindrical paper holder 83, its leading edge is drawn through the paper ghroat 34 and rearwardly along the paper apron The operator, having rst rocked the handle a8 to lift the pressure rolls Il off the sheet feeding rolls it, continues to draw the leading end of the sheet rearwardly through the gap thus formed between: the` sheet:l feeding" and; the: pres:-

sure: rolls: and.,y through thef passage between; the;

lower recessed',l face` of; thezanvil, and the; upper endaof'v the` embossing rod: turret: I 4;,

It:V then becomes necessarytoV correctly position. the: sheet' in the? machine in: order that it may be. fedi in', astraight1 line rearwardly out of` the machine, to whichend, thereI is provided` a novel, means, for squaring` the leadingV edges of: successive; sheetsiinv position and to afford a uniform top or.'4 leading endmargin.

Thesev results are electedby the provisionof a` pair of angularly formed gage members 91- (Fig. l) ,pivotally intermediatetheir` ends at 98 to the` inner faces of, the paper carriage end frames.` Therforwardy arms of-,the pivoted. gagev membersy extend to v points; immediately beneath eccentrics` 953` mountedonthe pressure roll-,castoil shaft 86,:for operation with` the pressure rolls.

4The rear arms of the, gagemembers support upwardly extending registering or aligning pins 6; and at a suitable,` distance. in front ofi` each pin,

these rear armsl support an, upright indentingA stylet the; styletsbeingrof slightly less height than, the gage pins` 6.

Spring` lill.y connected to the gage pins Enormally drawltherespective gage members 9,1- clockwisevrelatively totheposition shown` in` Fig. 1, when the pressure roll. cast-off handle is in its ineiective position,i and the pressure rolls l1 engaged with the-feed rolls lr6; In such` normal clockwise positions, the upper ends of the pins` 6.

and their stylets |00.- lie in a: planebeneath the` path of` the work sheet to2ailord` nofobstruction to theadvance of the-sheetin' letter spacing direction.

But Whenthe pressure roll cast-off-` handle is rocked to its effective position,v to. raise the pres-` The counter-clockwiseI movement of` the gage` frames 91 results in positioning .the upper free` ends of the styletsl lilll-direotlybeneathV the sheet,

and after the operator has adjusted the vsheet relatively to the gage pins, he presses the sheetl downwardly over the stylets to. form indentations or punctures in the sheets at points just a short distance below the leading edge of the sheet. p

Such indentations or punctures will resultV in forming projections on the upper faceV of` the sheet, which serve two purposes,l as soon explained.

After the top margin of the sheethas thusbeen indented or punctured, the cast-off handle: 88 is restoredto its normal, position, permitting the spring pressure roll arms, Ha to cause the pressurerolls to grip the work sheet, and as the eccentrics 99' release the forward arms of the gage frame 97, the springs l0! rock the gage frames with their aligning pins 6 and indenting stylets H10-clockwise to withdraw the pins and. stylets from1 the path of the sheet.`

Writing on the sheet may now proceed, it being clear Ythatetl'ie punctures formedI in the topmar-` ginofgthe sheet by the stylets are wellbeyondthe :first writing line of; theV sheet.`

It; maybecome necessary, after having partially completed; the writing-of the sheet-to re,- movethe sheet from: the machine, and later, to replace thesheet and, complete the writingfrom the point-where the sheetl was removed.

Ihe provision` of'the top margin punctures by the stylets `Illllgreatly facilitates this operation.

The partially written'` sheet is reinserted,` and a-lginedA with the gage pins i6; just as before explained;` Thishowever, is not su'cient as there no prooftotheooperator that the sheet, is in, the original position laterally withfrespect tothe Working lines so that there will be no difference in: the sidemargins of the-sheet. By providing theA stylets IDU, however, whichV have'been elevated,toet-heir` effective positions when ref-inserting the partially written sheet, the operator byv his sense of\touoh can feel the punctures formedfin thetop margimand can shift the sheet sidewise Whilelthe leading edge isstill held against the gage pins; until the top margin puntures register with theupper ends of the stylets, after Which the pressureroll cast-ofi handlemay'be rocked to enable thepressure rolls to become'et feetive andntopermit the springs I-lll to rock the gage frames to their idle positions. Then by advancing: thesheet in line spacing direction by the twirler 5, the last previously written line isiy brought to the writing point, and theywr-iting completed.

Itimayi be desired to write-on both the front and back sides of a sheet in which event, as

above explained, itis necessary to so position the` sheetwhen it' is inserted for writingA on therear iacethereof, that the lines of indented Braille code characters*` are interspersed, staggered or interpointed relatively to the previously writ*-A tenlines onthe front of the sheet.

The above-mentioned. top margin punctures, inl combinatonwith means now to be described; are utilized-in positioning the sheet to eect suchinterspersal of thellines of writing on the respective oppositesides of a single sheet.

A cross shaft l-Z extends between and'` is journaledi in the endl frames of the travelling carriage Z-at apeint above the path of the sheet, such cross shaft supporting a pair of indenting membersV ID3 arranged` transversely of, and fast on the shaft with their pointed ends projecting forwardly to positions overchanging the uppery ends of. the stylets Hill: and located preferably positions, a linger piece m5 fast on a projecting end oi the cross.` shaft |112; enabling the opera-tor to roch the shaft, and: its. indenting members co-unterclock-wise to form punctures in the top margin of the sheet at, points, say, half a. line,

space4 nearer the rst Writing. line than` thev 'f' punctures formed` byi the stylets.v

When the operator desires to. write onbothsides ofk the sheet, when positioning the sheet in the irstinstance, as above explained, he will not only puncture the sheet by means of the stylets wt, but will also `manually rock the linger piece H25 to cause thei-ndenting members 03 to puncturethe top` marginl at points half' a line space nearer theV first writing line. i Thereafter; the; operatori will proceed asr here` tofore explained until the fro-nt side of the sheet has been written, whereupon he will reverse the sheet side-for-side and re-insert it in the machine in the manner explained. At this time, however, instead of registering the stylet-formed punctures on the stylets and abutting the lead ing edge of the sheet against the gage pins 6, he will slide the leading edge o1" the sheet upwardly over the gage pins until he can register 'the punctures formed by the indenting members 192 with the stylets, which not only squares the sheet and properly positions it relatively to the side margins, but also enables the iirst written line on the back of the sheet to be located half a line space beneath the rst written line on the front of the sheet.

The pressure rolls, when returned to their effective positions, retain the sheet in its newll7 adjusted position and permit the gage frames and stylets to disappear, that is, return to ineffective position.

Attention is directed to the fact that the punctures formed by the stylets and those formed by the indenting members are opposed to each other as regards the projecting portions thereof, and lie at diierent distances from the leading edge, which difference is readily sensed by the operator who can thus assure himself as to which side of the sheet is front or back.

The paper apron 85 is apertured to permit the gage pins i5 and stylets it to shift upwardly to l be controlled by the sheet.

What is claimed as new is:

l. In an electrically operated code embossing machine of the typewriter class, the combination with a source of electric energy; a group of embossing members; and means, including elec tro-responsive devices in circuit with the source of energy, for operating said embossing meme bers singly; of a keyboard including keys; in'- dividual key housings traversed by their respective keys, and in circuit with the source of energy; a contact travelling with each key, and in electrical engagement with its key housing during depression of its key; contact point supports adjacent the several key housings; relatively insulated contact points mounted in said supports and positioned in the paths of the respective travelling contacts for engagement thereby during depression of said keys, said contact points being individual to, and in circuit with their respective electro-responsive devices, said contact points being arranged singly and in groups relatively to their respective travelling contacts ac cording to a predetermined code system; and resilient means to restore the keys to their home positions to disconnect the travelling contacts from their associated contact points to open the circuits.

2. In a code embossing machine of the typewriter class, the combination with a source of electric energy; a group of embossing members to indent code characters upon a work sheet; and means, including electro-responsive devices in circuit with the source of energy and individual to the respective embossing members of said group, to actuate said members; of a plurality of Inanuallydepressible keys representing a notational system, each said key denoting a separate charac ter of said notational system, and including a -travelling spring-actuated contact insulated from themanually engaged key?slotteddiousings in circuit with ythe source "ofenergy;:saiddiousingsy being individual to, and traversed byitherespec tive keysfand their contacts, each. contact having sliding engagement with its respective key housing and traversing the slot in the housing during depression of the key; contact point supports exterior of and abutting the slots in each of said key housings; said supports carrying on their inner faces in register with the slots in the respective key housings, one or more relatively insulated contact points for engagement by the corresponding travelling key contact, said contact points being individual to, and in circuit with their respective, electro-responsive devices, the number of contact points associated with each key being governed according to a predetermined code system, whereby depression of a key will effect the energization of one or more of the electro-responsive devices to cause the corresponding embossing members to indent the work sheet with a code character representative of the notational character denoted by the depressed key; and resilient means to restore the depressed keys to their normal positions.

3. In a code embossing machine of the typewriter class for indenting a record medium with sensible code characters representative of the characters of a notational system, the combination with a group of individually operable embossing members; means individual to the respective members and including separate electroresponsive devices to operate the embossing members singly or in various combinations according to said code; a source of electrical energy; and circuits connecting said source with the respective electro-responsive devices; of manually de pressible keys representing the respective char acters of said notational system, and operable by their depression and return to selectively close and open the circuits supplying energy to the respective electro-responsive devices; 'plungers operable by the respective keys; a guide for each plunger, said guides each being in circuit with the source of energy; a contact carried by and traveling with each key plunger, said contacts having electrical engagement with their respective plunger guides during depression of the corresponding keys; cne or more stationary contact points lying in the paths of the respective travelling contacts to be slidably engaged thereby on depression of the corresponding keys, said stationary contact points being individual to, and in circuit with their respective electro-responsive devices, whereby said circuits are closed singly or in various combinations to effect the embossing of code characters corresponding with the notational characters represented by the depressed keys; and resilient means to restore the depressed keys and plungers.

J UAN DE LA FUENTE TEJEDO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the rile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

